FAIRHOPE, Alabama — A special zoning district surrounding Thomas Hospital will
help health care and related businesses concentrate and expand there,
city officials say.

The City Council postponed approval of the new “medical overlay
district” Monday night to clarify language affecting metal buildings.
But the ordinance creating the district appears likely to pass.

The medical overlay district makes locating or expanding health care
businesses easier by allowing them to come in without a zoning change.
For example, a resident living within the district could sell a
single-family home to someone wanting to convert it to a doctor’s
office.

The City Council and planning staff said some residents had expressed
concerns about businesses trying to take over their neighborhoods and
about possible lower property values. But city officials said no one was
being forced to sell their homes, and property values would actually
increase because their properties would be more attractive to
medical-related businesses.

“I want people to be reassured of that,” said Councilman Mike Ford.

The district boundaries are from the south side of Morphy Avenue, to
properties inside the city limits on the north side of Greeno Lane, east
to the west side of Greeno Road/U.S. 98 and west to the east side of
South Ingleside Street.

According to the ordinance, uses permitted in the district include:
medical offices, hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, labs, funeral homes,
animal hospitals, day care for children and adults, group homes and
retail businesses that sell medical equipment.

Also allowed would be substance abuse rehabilitation centers, subject to conditions imposed by the city.

Jonathan Smith, Fairhope’s planning and building director, said the
growth of the medical profession and medically related business in the
area of Thomas Hospital, which is at the heart of the proposed district,
is part of the city’s comprehensive plan. Planning officials have been
working on the district for 18 months and held two public hearings in
addition to the one held Monday night, he said.

Bob Griffin, who owns a storage-unit business within the proposed
district, told the council he was concerned about a clause prohibiting
metal buildings that are visible from a public street or right of way.

Such buildings would have to be covered with a façade. While existing
buildings would not have to be altered, Griffin feared the requirement
would apply if a hurricane damaged or destroyed his buildings.

His business and others housed in metal buildings already follow the requirements of industrial zoning, Griffin said.

“I have nine buildings that are metal,” he said. “We came first, 30 years ago.”

Mayor Tim Kant suggested amending the ordinance to ensure that it
prohibited new construction of metal buildings, and the council agreed
to postpone a final vote.